Iran's energy sector review

The economic and political interdependence between the two Persian-language nations - Iran and Tajikistan, with $200 million worth trade turnover is not as vital as the matter of sink or swim, but significantly important for both them. Five mutual trips of Iranian and Tajik presidents over the recent two years demonstrate the significance of bilateral relations between the two countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi in a meeting with his Tajik counterpart Hamrokhon Zarifi on the sidelines of Istanbul Conference on Wednesday stressed importance of finalizing joint economic projects. Tajikistan is one of the most vulnerable economies in Central Asia, as it is not as energy-rich as other countries in the Central Asia, the International Monetary Fund said in April. This fact is enough for encouraging any international super power to get a firm footing here. For instance, during independence Tajikistan's goods turnover with China increased roughly by 15 times ...

Iran, with its largest population on the Caspian Sea shore among other littoral countries, is keen to save the world's biggest inland body of water from pollution and has initiated a "Comprehensive plan to reduce pollution" plan. The Fars News Agency quoted the head of Department of Environment Mohammad-Javad Mohammadzadeh as saying that the plan targets preventing entry of pollutants, including household waste, especially in Gorgan and Mazandaran provinces, to the Caspian. Meanwhile, Abdolreza Karbasi, the deputy head of Environmental Protection of Iran alarmed about the ecological state of beaches, releasing warning to swimmers in the Caspian Sea. "The pollution at some parts of the sea has exceeded the authorized limit by 100 times," he said. Iranian coastal population is around 6 million people, including residents in the regions en route the rivers that flow to the Caspian, whose household waste waters enter the sea without passing through wa...

Construction of artificial islands with glorious buildings on them has own aesthetic aspects to attract more tourists. The international law provides legal frames for them, but still puts some limitations. Ecology should not be damaged and the nature should be preserved. Ecologists alarm Does these islands are built with observing these principles? Ecologists alarm not. Kuwaiti periodic head of Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) Abdul Rahman Al-Awadi warned against building artificial islands, hinting at negative ecological consequences. Construction of artificial islands causes the increase of mud density of the water, entering the waste materials, such as heavy metals massively into the sea. Furthermore, embanking and filling dusts into the sea damages coral reefs, their associated mangrove and sea grass habitats which are providing the food and shelter for a wide range of marine species. But does it worth to go on building thes...

Iran says attempting to keep oil production ceiling at OPEC meeting and discussing the gas price at the upcoming Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) are Iran's top agenda. The 160th OPEC meeting, headed by Iran, will be held in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on December 14 and the 11th ministerial meeting of GECF will open in Doha, Qatar on December 2. Iranian oil minister Rostam Ghasemi says maintaining OPEC output due to stable oil prices is major topic to be reviewed in OPEC. Iran's pale clout on international oil market According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report, OPEC members' oil income was $780 billion in 2010 and this figure would hit up US $1 trillion in 2011. The International Energy Agency released 60 million barrels of oil from its 4 billion emergency stocks four months ago to decrease the oil price. Opposing this action by the IEA Iran came out with a strict statement, accusing the western countries of setting 'unfair...

Russian Foreign Minister Segey Lavrov proposed ‘step-by-step’ plan to resolve Iran’s nuclear problem two weeks ago during his tour of the U.S. This plan was surprisingly refuted by Iranian president, but was welcomed by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi. Lavrov says each step by Tehran towards the IAEA’s concerns should be rewarded by freezing some sanctions or shortening the volume of sanctions. Russia has proposed several plans to solve the Iranian nuclear disputation so far. It included a proposal of forming international nuclear fuel bank at Angarsk site with Iran’s participation or the proposal of shifting Iran’s low-enriched uranium to Russia for making 20-percent enriched nuclear fuel bar for the reactor of Tehran’s Amirabad nuclear research center and others, which failed. On the other hand, the West countries have also made attractive proposals, including economic aids and launching light water nuclear power plants for Iran instead of halting enrichment of uranium and ...

Iranian ruling Conservatives Coalition formed "Unification Committee" without inviting and involving Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s representatives. This Committee is aimed at unifying conservatives to direct the participation and competition of representatives in next parliamentary election scheduled for March 2012, reported Fars News Agency. This Committee has been formed by influent conservative representatives close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini such as Secretary-General of the Islamic Coalition Party Habibullah Asgaroladi, Khamenei's advisor Ali Akbar Velayati and former Speaker Gholamhossein Haddad Adel. The contradictories between Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei began earlier on Iranian Information Minister Heidar Moslehi’s sacking by Ahmadinejad. Khameni did not allow Ahmadinejad to sack Moslehi and then Ahmadinejad abstained from participating at work for two weeks. After that, several Ahmadinejad’s government senior officials in...

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov's statement regarding opening of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in the near future has again raised the question of safety of this plant. Ryabkov said that the operations to inject fuel into the core of the reactor of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant have been completed and the plant will start working in the near weeks. Bushehr NPP, which is Iran's first and only nuclear power plant, will produce 1,000 megawatt power per year. Its construction was started by Germany in early 1970s and afterwards, was stopped and shifted to Russia in 1995. The safety of the Bushehr nuclear power plant is Iran’s first priority, so Iran has tried to observe all necessary safety precautions before launching the reactor, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said. Launching the station is considered the next success in the nuclear program, which is a priority for Ahmadinejad's government, and Iran tries to launch this plant as soon as possible, ...